


Under the stars

by KellyDrake6



Series: Merlin [14]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Arthur relaxes for once, Constellations, Gen, Merlin & Arthur Pendragon Friendship (Merlin), Star Gazing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-23
Updated: 2021-01-23
Packaged: 2021-03-18 00:28:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 996
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28858128
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KellyDrake6/pseuds/KellyDrake6
Summary: Merlin goes star gazing, a curious arthur follows and joins him
Relationships: Merlin & Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Series: Merlin [14]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1968685
Comments: 1
Kudos: 10





	Under the stars

It wasn't unusual to see Merlin out after dark, Arthur had noticed him sneaking around the court yard several different times now, though half the time he wasn't entirely silent about it, normally tearing out of the castle and still somehow managing to evade the guards as he went. So when Arthur noticed merlins familiar figure in an unfamiliar cloak going in a different direction to normal, he too donned his own cloak, given to him by merlin years ago and began following him, curious as to where the man could possibly be going. 

He didn't seem to be rushing so there mustn't have been a threat that he was going after, so he fell back into the shadows as Merlin went through the trees towards the large clearing that arthur hasn't been in since they fought the great dragon, slightly more curious as to what Merlins going there for, arthur picks up his pace until he's jogging as now merlins completely disapeared from sight. Once he's got through the trees he scans the clearing and finds merlin laying on the ground in the very middle, a mix of worry and curiosity wash over him as he slowly makes his way over to his friend, making sure he's alright and not managed to knock himself out in the 5 minutes that he was missing for. 

Once he's close enough he realises he can hear merlin humming to himself quietly, so moves even slower and quieter than before in order not to spook or disturb him "Merlin?" He whispers once hes at the man's side, at this point he can see merlin is just staring up at the sky with a small smile on his face as his eyes move from one place to another "Arthur? What are you doing here?' He asks, looking towards the king with bright curious eyes that Arthur had yet to see from the man. He chuckles quickly as he moves to sit beside him "i could ask you the same thing" he responds before leaning back on his hands, relaxing for the first time all week. 

When he looks back over at Merlin he's looking up again "you'll call me a girl if i tell you" he says quietly, though doesn't stop looking at the sky, the small smile on his face getting slightly bigger as he follows something "I'll be the judge of that" he responds, rolling his eyes playfully before nudging his friend enough that his eyes turn to him again "im star gazing" he says with a soft sigh, looking as if he's about to get up though something catches his attention so he settles again "i used to do that when i was young" Arthur admits in a whisper as he lays down, taking a few minutes to get comfortable on the cool grass before looking up at the sky and realising just how many stars he could see from here than he could anywhere in the castle. 

He lets out a quiet hum before looking over at merlin "do you come here often?" He asks quietly, not wanting to ruin the quiet atmosphere around them but at the same time wanting to get to know the enigma that is merlin, he hears Merlin nod against the grass before looking over at him "once a week, it helps me relax" he says quietly, causing arthur to raise an eyebrow as he tries to figure out how he has missed his friend leaving the castle that much in the 10 years they've known each other "used to do it back in Ealdor with Will" he says with a growing smile that always appears whenever he talks about his village or late friend "drove mother crazy when we snuck out further than we were meant to" he adds on with a quiet chuckle as he looks over at arthur in amused curiousity 

Arthur couldn't help the smile that fought its way onto his face, thinking of all the mischief that merlin must have got upto before coming to camelot "i used to do this with Morgana and Leon" he reveals, smiling when his friends eyes widen and he snorts in amusement before speaking "Sir Leon, really?' He asks with growing suprise and amusement, though he'd give it to him as he'd only seen the man after knighthood "before the two of us became knights, dollophead" he says as he nudges the man in the ribs. Merlin looks back at the sky again, arthur doing the same though he doesn't miss the muttered "still my word" that made him smile slightly, as he looked back up at the stars again he noticed from the corner of his eye that Merlin had raised his hand and was slowly moving it around in a strange pattern "do you see that?" He eventually asks in a whisper, sounding rather excited about what ever he'd seen in the sky above. 

Arthur looks around the night sky curiously "no, what did you see?" He asks as he moves slightly closer to his friend, until they are practically pressed together side by side "orion! Look right there" Merlin says, pointing to a place in between a cluster of stars and arthur makes out the shape of it "you know the constellations?" He asks in suprise, watching as merlin's expression turns sheepish "not until i came to camelot, but Will and i made up names for them all" he says with a soft chuckle that makes arthur wonder what kinds of names the two had come up with. 

The two of them stayed side by side for hours, pointing out constellations and sharing stories about the past and trying to make the other laugh, eventually lulling into silence which lead to arthur carrying a sleeping merlin back to the castle, a sleepy Gwen looking on in confused fondness as Arthur wandered through their chambers and diposited said sleeping merlin in the antechamber before joining her in bed.


End file.
